Fence-tightener



(No Model.)

H. V. CONWAY.

FENCE TIGHTENER.

No. 563,137. Patented June 30, 1896.

20/ 75765625. N //7v m ANDREW B GRAHAM.PHUTO-Um0.WASNINGFOPLDL UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HARRISON V. CONWAY, OF BOONE, IOIVA.

FENCE-TIGHTEN ER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 563,137, dated June 30, 1896.

Application filed April 16,1896. Serial No. 587,751. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HARRISON V. CONWAY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Boone, in the county of Boone and State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fence-Tighteners; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in fence-wire tighteners, and one object of my invention is the provision of a tightener which will tighten and securely hold the wire or clothes-line taut and will not let it slip, and which is very simple, durable, and cheap, and also useful and practical for the purposes stated.

Another object of my invention is the provision of a tightening device for tightening fence-wires and clothes -lines, which gives very powerful leverage, so that it requires very little strength or eifort to tighten a slackened fence-wire or clothes-line,and which has means by which the operator can at intervals stop without danger of having the wire or line slacken, and which holds it always in a tightened position.

To attain the desired objects, the invention consists of a tightening device for fence-wires and clothes-lines embodying novel features of construction and combination of parts, substantially as disclosed herein.

Figure 1 represents a top plan view of my device in the position it assumes when tightening a fence-wire or the like. Fig. 2 represents a side elevation of the device, and Fig. 3 represents a side elevation of a modified form of my tightener.

My device is of the simplest and most durable construction and is cast in a single piece of metal.

A designates the bar or doubled handlepiece, which has formed integral therewith, near its center or enlarged portion B, the two arms C and O,which are provided at their ends with the curved heads or handles E and E, which serve to keep the wire or line from sliping over the arms and also serve for a grasping portion for the operators hands, so that the device may be easily turned to effect the tightening of the wire or line. On the ends of the main body of the device, and projecting from the same side as the arms 0, are the hooks J,on opposite sides of the main portion, the purpose of which will be hereinafter stated in the operation. In Fig. 3 I employ, instead of the curved arms E and F, simply a round head, and when this form of tightener is used the body is grasped by the operators hands to effect the tightening of the wire or line.

From this description, taken in connection with the drawings, the construction of the device is readily understood, but the operation of the device is as follows: The fence-wire (as is shown in the drawings) or clothes-line is first slipped between the arms 0 and G, and then the device is turned so that the wire is sufficiently stretched or tightened, and then the portions of the wire are placed in the loops of the hooks J and J, which prevent the device from being turned in the opposite direction to which it has just been turned and thus keeps the wire from being slackened after being once tightened, as shown in Fig. 1.

From this description and operation of the device it is evident that I provide a device which is very useful for this purpose and which is extremely cheap, simple, and dura-.

ble, as well as useful.

I claim 7 1. A tightener made from a single casting and composed of the main or body portion, hooks one at each end thereof reversely arranged, and the parallel uprights rising from the center of the bar and having each an enlargement or handle or grasping portion for manipulating the device.

2. A fence-tightener made from a single casting, composed of the main portion having a hook at each end reversely arranged, two parallel uprights rising from the center and having at their ends the oppositely-arranged curved handles for manipulating the device.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HARRISON V. CONWAY.

lVitnesses:

R. SUTTON, I. N. SrArrs. 

